At a moment when Novak Djokovic could have used some smooth victories to advance comfortably in his last major tournament of the season, the path in New York has been anything but straightforward. Yet under the Friday night lights, Djokovic overcame a tough challenge from Cameron Norrie, securing a 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-3 victory in his strongest showing at the competition this year.
The win makes the 38-year-old Djokovic the oldest man to reach the US Open’s fourth round in 34 years, a feat last achieved by Jimmy Connors in 1991. He also matches Roger Federer’s record of 69 appearances in the last 16 of a major. “Matches like this, with such performances, always give me confidence that I can go deep and compete against the top players,” Djokovic said.
For Norrie, stepping onto Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time presented a daunting task. While Djokovic has shown moments of vulnerability in New York after a six-week break and shaky form early in the tournament, the 24-time major champion has historically proven too much for the Briton, having won all six of their prior encounters while dropping just two sets.
At first, it seemed Djokovic would cruise to an easy victory as he broke serve early and appeared in control of the first set. However, at 5-3, his movement became labored, and he frequently stretched his lower back. Soon after, he took a medical timeout off the court.
“Honestly, my physical condition fluctuates,” Djokovic admitted. “It’s frustrating not always feeling at my best, as I’ve been used to for over 20 years. But the reality is different now, and I have to accept that something may arise in every match—something that’s been the case this year in nearly every major.”
Despite sealing the set upon his return, Djokovic’s frequent pauses drew complaints from Norrie, who questioned the umpire about the delays. “I don’t believe it was intentional, but I would’ve preferred the umpire to manage it more firmly. It didn’t change the outcome,” Norrie said.
“There were just a few instances where I had to wait during my serve—maybe because he was stretching. It wasn’t about Novak; I was just asking the umpire about the rules when I had to pause. No big issue.”
Amid these interruptions, Norrie fought to pressure Djokovic, adopting a more aggressive approach than usual. His bold play led to his strongest stretch against the Serb, as he forced a tie-break and leveled the match. His forehand, often outmatched against elite opponents, shone during this phase.
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